– To be able to create beings by precipitating his own energy on the matter without life.
– To travel in time.
– To understand all creatures.
– To divide and create beings similar to him but inferior in powers and faculties, if required.
This would be the origin of our Eshu in Quimbanda.
Eshu had the mission of going through all the different spaces where Nzambi could not go, especially in the areas where nothingness and darkness reigned. Eshu was made a dark red colour, with a lot of moving particles, bright as torches, thus allowing him to be in all spaces of light or darkness: his colour is his life.
According to a legend of his origin, when Eshu saw his own power, he decided to crown himself king of the dark areas and get by without Nzambi.
Since he had the power to create, he created 7 beings of himself. These beings had his same powers and faculties but to a lesser degree. These are the 7 kingdoms:
– Rei Das 7 Encruzilhadas
– Rei Das 7 Cruzeiros
– Rei Das 7 Liras
– Rei Da Kalunga
– Rei Das Almas
– Rei Das Matas
– Rei Da Praia
Each of these kingdoms was divided into 7 territories and each of the kings into 7 parts so they could be everywhere.
The power of Eshu to divide himself resulted in that each new part had a new personality. Each time one of them was born, it was divided into 7.
The first 57 were the most powerful and became the leaders of the others. Everyone who had enough energy to carry the name of Eshu was given a name as well as a mission within the territory.
Those who had no power and stayed on the lowest scale were not given any mission or power. They formed a group and went to speak with the first of all, told him their problems and the king gave them some energy. He took their spirits and moved them to material bodies: the first men.
